An airbed is a large rectangular rubber or plastic (e.g., vinyl) bag that is filled with air so that it may be used as a bed. Airbeds are well known in the art and have proven themselves to be very useful. On the one hand, an inflatable airbed may be deflated and folded to store the airbed in a closet or basement. On the other hand, when guests arrive or when the owner of the airbed takes a trip to a place where there is no bed, the airbed may be inflated and may be used as a bed.
An air mat is similar in construction to an airbed, but is used as a float so that an individual may lie on the air mat in the water. Both products fall under the broad category of “inflatable” products. Other nonlimiting examples of inflatable products include rafts, inflatable furniture, inflatable pools, and inflatable boats.
One problem often encountered with inflatable products such as airbeds is that they are difficult to store. For example, often, an airbed is shipped in a box, and storing the airbed in the box is difficult, if not impossible. When the airbed is shipped, there is almost no air at all in the airbed, and it is efficiently folded so as to fit in the box. A user may find it difficult to remove all air from the airbed, and/or replicate the folding pattern used in shipping of the product. Thus, the user typically folds the airbed as tightly as possible and extends it partly into the box, with a portion hanging out. Even if the user can get the airbed back into the box, the box may become crushed, torn, broken, or otherwise damaged with use. If a box is not used, the user must store the airbed in a different manner, such as in a separate bag or using ties.